Brooder



Nov. 2, 1948. M c. COLE 2,452,904

BROODER Filed Feb. 16, 1945 /f /VU/Wg C CULS y INVENTOR.

Patented Nov. 2, 1948 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE BitooDER Monroe C.Cole, Dallas, Tex. Applicationnepaary 16, 1945, serial'No. 578,305

7 Claims. (Cl. 119-31) 1 This invention relates to poultry broorders an it has particular reference to a brooder, wherein chicks are raised to broilers, without structural variation thereof. v The principal object of the invention is to provide a brooder, especially designed for` decking, whose walls have openings spaced along their upper portions for ventilation and similar` openings below for feeding and Watering, but provision is made, by virtue of the invention, to so regulate the size of the openings, especially the latter, to accommodate the birds as they increase in size to the broiler stage. An advantage of the invention over anything heretofore known for the purpose, lies in the fact that adjustments in the size of thefeeding and watering openings can be made by simple facilities occupying but little, ii any, additional part of the limited space of a brooder and each adjustment requires but a fewcmovements to accomplish.

Another object of the invention resides in means to eifect a similar adjustment of the size of the light and Ventilating openings. Regulation of drafts and especially light is most important in a brooder to keep excitement of the'birds at a minimum and to reduce cannibalism. This 'is eifected by the invention easily and quickly and Figure 1 is a perspective view of a typical deck construction, showing the invention.

Figure 2 is a fragmentary elevational View of one wall of the brooder, showing the Ventilating and feeding openings partly open.

Figure 3 is a view in vertical section taken on line 3--3 on Figure 2, and Y .-.g

Figure 4 is a'fragmentary elevational ,view of the reverse side of the wall shown in Figure 2.

Continuing with a more detailed description of the drawing, reference is primarily made-to Figure 1 wherein is showna brooder, not'u'nlike conventional deck brooders insofar as length and breadth are concerned but, of course, isjof corresponding height to any deck brooder designed to accommodate poultry from chick to broiler stage. However, the walls Ill of the improved brooder are each provided with aligned openings I Inear their tops to admit light and air and below these openings are vertically elongated or inverted pear shaped openings I2 for feeding and watering.

lil

In order to regulate the amount of light and air entering through openings Il, a plurality of closure plates I3, equal in number to that of the openings I I, are formed from a flat strip of metal by stamping or otherwise, to define also a bar I4 (Fig. 4), overlying theopenings II, of a length less than. the length of the wall by thefwidth, substantially, of one of the openings II, so that'the platesV I3 may be moved to fully open or fully closed position withrespect to the said openings.

The walls of the brooder are provided with horizontal, axially aligned slots I6 which receive threaded studs I'I aixed to and extending outwardly from the bar I4. Wing nuts I8 are threaded onto the studs I'I and by simply loosening these nuts and moving them horizontally, the bar I4 and consequently the plates I3 are adjusted with respect to the openings I I to increase or decrease thequantity of'air orlight entering through the openings. It is clearly apparent that this adjustment is accomplished without exciting the poultry and since the plates I3 lie flush against the inner surface of the wall I0, there are no projections on which the birds may become injured and the space occupied by the closure is negligible.

The size of the feedingand watering openings I2 is regulated by an arrangement similar to that above described but it will become apparent presen'tly that because of limited space, both hori- Zontal and vertical movement o-f the closures are provided. I 4

The closures consist of plates I9 integral with and depending from a at bar'20 (Fig. 4) which extends lengthwise of the wall, between the openings II and I2.

Slots 2l are formed in the wall I and are of substantially L-shape, one leg extending longitudinally while `the other is vertically disposed, parallel with the major axis of the elongated openings I2. Threaded studs 22 are aixed tothe bar 2t and extend through the slots 2| to receive wing nuts 23, by which the bar is not only held in adjusted positions but also are employed for shifting the bar longitudinally and vertically to correspondingly move the plates IS with respect to the openings I2 Whose size they regulate.

In Figure l, certain of the feeding openings I2 are shown with the closure plates I9 in dotted lines in a position to accommodate chicks, While the solid lines shew the plates disposed as they would be if half grown broilers were housed in the broeder. This showing is for illustration only because the closures would seldom if ever be constructed to operate in this manner. It is intended to show, in this manner, the position of the clo- .'plates, the openings will be full size.

sures when small chicks are housed, as well as the position when the chicks have grown to near broiler size. After maturity, the studs 22 are moved to the end of the horizontal leg of slot 2l to dispose the closure plates I9 over the spaces between the openings I2, in which position of the The small openings 24 along the bottom of the walls Il) may likewise serve as feeding and Ventilating openings but these are present in conventional'brooders and no provision is herein made to vary the size of the openings.

It is clearly apparent from the foregoing thatl provision may be made to hingedly support an entire wall by means of a rolled upper edge l25, mounted on a rod 26 (Fig. 3) or a sectionthereof to serve as a door.

Maniiestly, the construction as shown and de scribed is capable of some modification and modifications such as may be construed to fall within the Iscope and'meaning of the `appended claims Vr arealso 'considered to be Within the 'spirit and .intent of the invention.

What is claimed is Yl.. `In a brooder, a wall having a plurality of horizontally spaced, vertically elongated openings therein, closures for each of said openings, sus

pended from a common mounting, said wall hav- `ing substantially L-shaped slots at spaced intervals the length thereof, threaded studs on said mounting receivable in said slots, Aand means mounted ron said studs for moving said mounting vertically and horizontally to correspondingly move said plates -relative to their respective openings.

2. Ina 'brooden al wall having vertically elong- 4.ated Vopenings therein, a .plate adjacent each opening, all plates being suspended from .a common, vhorizontally disposed mounting L-shaped slots in lsaid Wall, means supporting said mountingthrough said slots and adjustable therein for moving 'saidmounting vertically and horizontally to correspondingly move said plates with respect .to said openings and means for securing said mounting-supporting means in adjusted positions.

-3.YIn a brooder, a Wall having 'a plural-ity of openings therein, and a series of substantially lL-shaped slots a closure .plate for each opening, a.- common mounting for said plates and means supporting said'mounting through said slots and adjustable therein for horizontally and vertically moving said mounting to correspondingly move said .platesf'to vary the effective sizeof said openings.

CFI

4. In a brooder, a wall having openings and substantially L-shaped slots therein, means attached to one face of said wall to partially cover said openings, and means supporting said iirst means through said slots, by which to move said firstv means vertically and horizontally.

5. In a brooder, a wall having openings and L- shaped slots therein means movable both vertically and horizontally to Vary the effective area of saidv openings, and means movable in said slots and supporting said iirst means and capable of securement in adjusted positions in said slots.

6. In a .brooder, a wall having horizontally spaced openings therein, a member lying flush Lil) against the inner face of said wall and formed todefine a longitudinal bar having relatively spaced plates movable in relation to said opening, said 'bar having threaded studs slidable in horizontal and vertical legs of substantially L-shaped slots in the wall of said brooder, and means receivable on said studs for securing .said bar 'and said plates in adjusted positions `with respect ,to said openings.

7. In a broeder, a Wall having a seriesof relatively spaced light and Ventilating openingsal'ong thetop thereof and a series of horizontal-1y spaced, vertically elongated ,openings therebelow, said wall further having invertedv L.shaped slots therein, a series offplates suspended .from a .cornmon, longitudinal mounting disposed over each of said series of openings and means lsupporting `at least one of said mountings in said :slots andv adjustable for shifting said mounting to cause-said vplates to cover or partially coversaid openings.

MONROE C. COLE.'V

REFERENCES CIEED Y rIhe following references are of lrecord jin the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Date Germany May 9, 1881 

